Machines for the formation of wheel rims and the like



April 19, 1960 w. E. BENSON ETAL 2,933,124

MACHINES FOR was FORMATI'ON 0F WHEEL iams AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi l.

' Inventors A KIN ERIC 5 8 AND%OED ON B 50 Attorneys April 19, 1960 W. E. BENSON ETAL MACHINES FOR THE FORMATION OF WHEEL RIMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20. 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 I! N 20 f: N 22 f Inventors WATHIN ERIC BENSON AND GORDON I- RIC ENSON y 7 Attorney 3 April 19, 1960 MACHINES Filed Jan. 20, 1956 w. E. BENSON ET AL 2,933,124

FOR THE FORMATION OF WHEEL RIMS AND THE LIKE;

7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventors WATKIN ERIC BENSON C ENSON Attorney 5 7 Sheets-Shut 4 \NN N A tlorneys W. E. BENSON ETAL April 19, 1960 MACHINES FOR THE. FORMATION OF WHEEL RIMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20, 1956 April 19, 1960 w. E. BENSON ET AL 2,933,124

MACHINES FOR THE FORMATION OF WHEEL RIMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20. 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 19, 1960 w. E. BENSON ET AL 2,933,124

MACHINES FOR THE FORMATION OF WHEEL RIMS AND THE LIKE.

Filed Jan. 20, 1956 7 Sheets-$heet 6 NE-h 0-. /23 //2 I23 I n venlor 5 w m ERIC BENSON 5? 69' I30 fgo'fm/ ERIC BENSON Attorney 3 April 9. 1960 w. E. BENSON ET AL 2,933,124

MACHINES FOR THE FORMATION OF WHEEL RIMS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Inventors ATK/V RI BENSO AMRy'OR D OIV BENSON A Item eys United States Patent MACHINES FOR THE FORMATION UF WHEEL RIMS AND THE LIKE Watkin Eric Benson and Gordon Eric Benson, Sydney, Australia, assignors to Kronprinz Alttieugesellschaft, Solingen-Ohligs, Germany Application January 20, 1956, Serial No. 560,455

Claims priority, application Australia January 24, 1955 11 Claims. (Cl. 153-54) This invention relates to the manufacture of rims for pneumatic tyred vehicle wheels and like profiled annular elements from annular blanks.

For convenience of description such profile elements will hereinafter be referred to as rims which require to be provided with a well having on each side a seat flange for a wall of the tyre and a bead or curled edge flange for retaining the tyre upon the rim. It will be understood that the invention is also applicable to other annular elements having complex profiles.

It is already known to form wheel rims as aforesaid by rolling within an external die either in a single operation from a cylindrical blank or by using a blank already furnished with an annular well by rolling within the annular external die.

Various modes of forming wheel rims as aforesaid are known, but none of these has proved capable of producing by the rolling operation a rim with a dimensional accuracy lying within permissible tolerance ranges, particularly for use with the tubeless tyres which are now coming into use. It has thus been necessary, after rim formation as aforesaid, to size the rims by plastically straining them in a sizing press or the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine in which the full formation of a rim (including formation of a circumferential well, tyred seats and beads or curled edge flanges) may be completed with a single setting of the blank in the machine and a single shaping operation, thus saving tooling and resetting expenses and time losses associated therewith, the rim formation being so controlled that the rim is produced in the required shape and size and needs no further treatment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which wheel rims are shaped by progressive formation in a manner which is fully controlled. It will be appreciated that it has rarely been practicable to form a wheel rim completely by a single pressing operation of substantially instantaneous duration. Therefore the practice has been to form rims by rolling or other progressive operation, in which the formation is carried out non-instantaneously as a smooth or step by step gradual deformation of the metal from the blank form to the finished rim form, and the invention provides a machine wherein such deformation is so carried out, with adoption of and improvement upon this rolling practice, that the final size and shape of the rim can be obtained within the permissible tolerance range.

The more usual method hitherto practised for forming the rim or at least the tyre seats and edge flanges on a rim consists in placing the blank in a multi-part external die, entering a freely revoluble flange forming roller on a mandrel into the centre space of the blank, rapidly rotating the die with the blank held therein and then laterally translating the mandrel so that the forming roller bears against the inside of the blank thus forcing it into shape in conformity with the external die and the corresponding profile of the roller. This prior ICC practice is open to objection in many respects. For ex ample owing to the necessity of having the roller of as large a diameter as possible to minimise slip and frictional scrubbing, combined with the relatively small centre space available in modern wheel rims, it has not been practicable to use more than one internal roller which nearly fills the centre space and this necessitates the mandrel being borne or supported extrernally of the rim centre space. This prior practice has necessitated extreme massiveness of the mandrel and its bearings or supports, of the supports for the external die, and of the machine generally owing to the high pressure loadings between the roller and the blank under formation having to be withstood by the entire assembly of machine parts extending structurally from the roller to the external die.

In the prior machines the nature of the forming roller and its supports makes it impractical to gyrate the roller inside a stationary blank. It has therefore been necessary to rotate the external die with the blank in it. Thus the design of the external die being already complicated by the fact of its being made in a plurality of separate parts and of sutficient massiveness to resist strain under the otherwise enforced work loadings imposed on it, was still further complicated by the necessity to make the die rotatable and to provide means for driving it.

A further difficulty which arises in the prior machines, due to the massiveness of their parts and the heavy loadings imposed thereon, is that the rotation of the blank relative to the forming roller is relatively slow, whence the operation is extensively time consuming.

The present invention accordingly provides a machine for the formation of wheel rims and like profiled elements from cylindrical sleeve blanks, having an external multipart annular die and rolls for the formation of the profile which are radially supported by internal reaction witbin the blank and die.

The formation roller means may be radially supported by reaction roll means. The latter may serve only to bear on the blank without executing any forming operation. Alternatively the formation roll means may comprise a pair of rollers or roller assemblies each mounted to support the reaction of the other.

Preferably, in a machine as aforesaid, the formation and reaction roll means are diametrically displaceable by spreader roller means movable substantially transversely with respect to the diameter of displacement of the formation roll means. The spreader roll means may be displaccable about an axi of the formation and reaction roller means. For example the spreader roller means may be mounted on a pair of crank webs secured to a shaft of the reaction roller means, said shaft having an arm articulated to hydraulic means located within the circumference of the external die. Alternatively, the formation rollers may be diametrically displaceable by a pair of spreader rollers in contact with and turnable about a centre roller to enter between the formation rollers and said centre roller.

In yet another alternative, the spreader roller means may be displaceable substantially perpendicularly to the diameter of displacement of the formation and reaction roller means directly by hydraulic means located within the circumference of the external die.

In a machine as aforesaid, the external die may comprise a plurality of segments radially displaceable inwards to present a continuous annular internal profile, for example as disclosed in the specification of the prior British Patent No. 631,902 published December 8, 1949 (which relates to a machine for pressing a circumferential well inwardly of a cylindrical sleeve blank) in combination with means for bringing the laminations of the external die into work position and withdrawing them from that position. However, in such an external die when embodied in the machine according to the present invention, the profile of each of the laminations corresponds to the form of the external radial cross section of the finished rim, that is, including the well, the tyre seats, and the beads or curled edge flanges.

In a machine having a laminated external die as aforesaid, the formation and reaction roll means may be displaceable on a diametrical plane of the die and spreader roll means displaceable so as to maintain the formation and reaction roll means spaced apart during inward closing of the die and to be retractable to permit inward dis placement of the formation and reaction roll means for Withdrawal of the completed profile element. Thus, when operating on a cylindrical blank, this may advantageously have a diameter approximately corresponding to the position of the centre of gravity of the profile, that is to say, having a diameter approximately corresponding to that of the finished tyre seats, whereby the well is formed by inward deformation and the beads or curled edge flanges are formed by an outward deformation, thus minimising the strain upon the material, particularly when deep rim profiles are to be formed.

In an alternative arrangement the external die may in another known manner he made in two semi-circular parts securable together for initially engaging the blank and separable radially for releasing the completed elements, the formation roller means being displaceable substantially radially during relative rotation of the die and said roll means.

In a machine as previously mentioned, wherein the formation rollers are diametrically displaceable by a pair of spreader rollers in contact with and turnable about a centre roller, there may be provided an extra pair of formation rollers and a second pair of spreader rollers in contact with the centre roller, the two pairs of spreader rollers being jointly turnable about the centre roller to enter respectively and alternatively between said centre roller and each of said pairs of formation rollers, for example by a 90 turn of the spreader roller means. This arrangement enables the provision of formation roller assembles each comprising a roller for forming the tyre seats and a pair of spreader rollers for forming the beads or curled edge flanges, whereby slip and frictional scrubbing between the peripheries of the rollers and the inner surface of the blank is minimised.

In any of the various embodiments of machine as hereinbefore recited, however, the formation of roll means may include rollers adapted to form a well and tyre seat portions of a rim and separate flanging rollers for forming the beads or flanges of the rim in order to avoid relative slip and scrub between the seat portions and flanges of the rim and the respective circumferences of the rollers for forming these parts. The flange forming rollers may be simply mounted co-axially of the well and seat forming rollers, or may be displaceable radially relative thereto; for example the flange forming rollers may be mounted on lever means angularly displaceable about at least one axis of the formation and reaction roll means, or may be mounted on eccentric means turnable about at least one such axis, angular displacement of said lever means or said eccentric means preferably being effected by bydraulic means located within the circumference of the external die.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following description, by way of example, of various embodiments of machine with reference to the accompany drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic axial section of a rim forming machine wherein the external annular die is in two parts secured together, and

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic axial section of a rim forming machine wherein the external angular die is con stituted by a plurality of radially displaceable segments, and

Figure 4 is a crosssection on the line IVIV of Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 5a combined present a side view, principally in axial section, of a practical embodiment of machine corresponding to that shown in Figures 3 and 4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the same, and

Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 are fragmentary transverse sections respectively on the lines VII, VIII, IX and X of Figure 5,

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view of certain parts of the roll system,

Figure 12 is a similar diagrammatic view of certain other parts of said roll system, and

Figure 13 is an inverted transverse section on the line XIII-XIII of Figure 5.

In the machine shown diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 2 a two-piece annular die presents a fixed internal annular profile corresponding to the desired external profile of the finished rim. The die is held stationary during operation and made in two parts capable of separation from each other to enable removal of the finished rim. Within the aperture of the die 1 is rotatable a turn table 2 comprising a lower part 2a and an upper part 2b which parts are held spaced apart by pillars 3. Tyre seat and well formation rollers 4 are supported on the turntable in planetary disposition, being rotatable upon shafts 5 supported in slides 5a radially displaceable in guides 20 in the parts 20 and 2b of the turntable. The rollers 4 are outwardly displaceable by means of a spreader roller 6 which is movable, transversely of the diameter on which the rollers 4 are displaceable, directly by the ram of an hydraulic cylinder 7 mounted on a pivot 7a on the turntable 2, that is, within the circumference of the external die 1.

Each of the formation rollers 4 is mounted on its shaft 5 through the intermediary of a sleeve 8 having secured to it at each side of the roller 4 an eccentric disc 8a, these discs being turnable with the sleeve 8 about the shaft 5 by the ram of a hydraulic cylinder 9 through links 9a. The cylinder 9 is supported on a pivot 9b in the turntable, also within the circumference of the external die. The hydraulic supply and control means for the cylinders 7 and 9 are of conventional type and not shown.

In the operation of this machine for the formation of a rim the spreader roller 6 is displaced laterally from the plane of the axes of the formation rollers 4, which are inwardly displaced by springs 20 acting on the slides 5a so that a cylindrical blank 11 having the diameter of the well base of the finished rim may be located between said rollers and the external die as shown in Figure 1. There' after, the turntable is rotated and the hydraulic cylinder 7 is operated to draw the spreader roller 6 between the formation rollers 4 until said three rollers are in diametrical alignment, at which stage the well and tyre seat portions of the rim are completed. Thereafter, while the turntable continues to rotate the hydraulic cylinder 9 is actuated to turn the eccentrics 8a through the links 9a so as to displace the bead formation rollers 10 outwardly relative to the rollers 4 whereby the formation of the rim is completed and its external profile corresponds to that presented by the external die.

In a machine as diagrammatically indicated in Figures 3 and 4, the external die consists of a plurality of segments 20 each having a profile 204 corresponding to the desired external profile of the finished rim. These segments are displaceable in radial guides 21a in a supporting ring 21 and are normally retracted by springs 22 to their extreme outer radial position; they are movable inwardly by relative axial displacement of the supporting ring 21 and a conical operating ring 23 against the stress of the springs 22, and to such an extent that in their limiting inner position they present a continuous annular die corresponding to the de e final form and size of a rim when finished. Except that the die segments include profile portions corresponding to the beads or curled edge flanges of the finished rim this arrangement and mode of opera-'- tion of the external die is as disclosed in the prior British Patent No. 631,902.

This machine also has a turntable assembly constructed and operable similarly to that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 except that as hereinafter described it may be somewhat larger relative to the size of the finished rim.

In the operation of a machine as shown in Figures 3 and 4, a cylindrical blank 25 is inserted between the external die segments 20 and the outwardly displaced seat formation rollers 26, the blank having a diameter corresponding approximately to the tyre seat diameter of the finished rim. At the commencement of the operation the seat formation rollers 26 are displaced to their outer limit positions by the hydraulic cylinder 29 drawing the spreader roller 27 between them until the three roller axes are in the same plane, in which positions they are retained throughout the formation of the rim. Further, at the commencement of the operation the bead formation rollers 31 also rest upon the inner surface of the blank or are inwardly spaced from it. The first stage of the operation comprises formation of the well by relative axial displacement of the die segment supporting ring 21 and the conical ring 23 (eifected by any suitable means, for example hydraulic means, not shown), where in the segments 20 are inwardly displaced to form the well with the aid of the rollers 26 gyrated within the blank by rotation of the turntable 24. When this stage of the operation is completed the hydraulic cylinder 33 is actuated to turn the eccentrics 32 so as to displace the bead formation rollers 31 outwardly and complete the profiling of the rim. After completion of these operations the hydraulic cylinders 29 and 33 are actuated so as to return the rollers 26 and 31 to their inner limit positions and the support ring 21 and conical ring 23 are moved apart axially so as to enable retraction of the external die segments, whereby the finished rim is released and can be removed through the opening within the ring 23.

It will be observed that in both the embodiments hereinbefore described, by the provision of separate bead formation rollers 10 or 31 relative slip and scrub between the several rollers and the portions of the blank upon which they operate is reduced to a minimum.

In the machine shown in Figures -13, which is a practical embodiment of that diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the mode of operation of the rim forming rollers is substantially as described but the hydraulic mechanism for displacement of the rim forming parts is modified for practical operation under the severe stresses imposed by the shaping of a steel annulus of substantial strength.

Referring to Figures 5-10, the external die elements 20 are housed in a cylindrical casing 34 upon a supporting ring 21, the conical operating ring 23 being secured as shown in the upper end of this casing.

The support ring 21 is carried upon a cylindrical mEmber 35 which is welded to a plate 36 secured upon a flange 37, at the upper end of a cylindrical fixed pedestal 38, by means of an annular series of bolts 39 (see also Figure 9) with spacer tubes 40 disposed to make the nuts 41 accessible below the lower ends of a pair of annular rings 42 depending from the plate 36 for a purpose which will be described. The bolts 39 which secure the plate 36 to the flange 37 also serve to clamp between said plate and flange another flange 43 of a cylindrical shell 44 serving as a hydraulic cylinder closed by a gland ring 45 at its lower end.

This assembly of the supporting ring 21 carried on the parts 35-45 constitutes the basic fixed structure of the machine, together with a sleeve 46 which projects laterally to house a tubular member 47 removably cured by flanges 48 and bolts 49 and supporting bushes for a main drive shaft 50 which is rotated by a pulley wheel 51 belt-driven from a pulley 52 on the shaft of a driving motor 53. The sleeve 46 projects through an arch or slot 54 in the casing 34 to enable axial displacement of said casing relative to the fixed assembly. Provision is also made for the entry of lubricating oil through the gap 55 between the sleeves 46 and 47, which oil seeps through the mechanism to a sump drainable by a cock 67. At the opposite side of the member 35 a soluble oil discharge duct 56 projects through another slot or arch 57 in the shell 34 together with a duct 58 and an extension of a duct 59 (see Figure 8) for admission and withdrawal of hydraulic fluid. To enable the required location of the inner vertical end 60 of the duct 58 the tray constituted by the ring 35 and the plate 36 has an opening 61 which is closed on its inner side, to constitute a recess for the duct 58, by means of a domed plate 62. The plate 36 has at its centre a fixed collar 63 supporting a bush 64 for the rotating system, and the sleeve 46 is supported from the base of the machine by a pair of struts 65 engaging bracket 66 which projects from the outermost of the rings 42 through the arch 54 in the shell 34.

The roller system, which will be further described, is mounted for rotation as a unit upon a turntable 24 connected by suitable pedestal members such as 68, 69 to an upper bearing plate 70, the turntable 24 being secured upon a crown wheel 71 in mesh with a pinion 72 on the main drive shaft 50.

Below the periphery of the crown wheel 71 and within the ring 35 is an axially slidable ring 73 supported by springs 74 from the plate 36 and bearing against a suitable packing ring 75 so as to retain soluble oil which may be supplied to the roller system within the ring 35 and above the crown wheel 71, this oil being discharged for circulation through the duct 56. The hub 76 of the crown wheel 71 is rotatable within the bush 64 and is welded to a depending tubular shaft 77 mounted in a footstep bearing 78 within a sleeve 79 adjacent the bottom of the cylindrical pedestal 38.

Surrounding the shaft 77 is a ring member 80 having at its upper end a screwed nut 81 serving to secure inwardly projecting pins 82 which pass through slots 83 in the shaft 77 and engage an operating nut 84 slidable within the shaft 77, this nut being in engagement with a screwed operating sleeve 85 secured against axial displacement relative to the shaft 77 by a shoulder 86 engaging a thrust ball bearing 87 which is secured by a ring nut 88 screwed into the centre of the crown wheel 71 about the upper end of the member 85.

Extending through the centre of the operating sleeve 85 is a shaft 89 having at its lower end an operating screw thread 90 engaged by a nut 91 slidable within the shaft 77 and prevented from rotation relative to said shaft by a key 92 engaged in a groove 93. The nut 91 is secured to the upper end of a hydraulic ram 94 with an interposed thrust bearing 95 so that the nut 91 may rotate with the shaft 77 while the ram 94 is non-rotatable, the lower end of the screw 90 being freely turnable within a recess 95 in the upper end of the ram. This ram extends downwardly into a hydraulic cylinder 129 having a duct 97 for the admission and withdrawal of hydraulic fluid.

Within the hydraulic cylinder 44 is located another cylindrical shell 98 which serves as a hydraulic ram (shown in its limiting operated position). The ram 98 has an inwardly directed annular shoulder 99 located between a thrust bearing 10!] and a securing ring 101 screwed to the lower end of the ring member 8|], so that this sleeve and with it, by the intermediary of the keys 82, the nut member 84, are slidable with the ram 98.

Located between the rings 42 depending from the fixed plate 36 is an annular die member 102 having a U-shaped annular recess 103 to and from which fluid can be admitted and withdrawn through the duct 58. The member 102 has a depending annular projection 104 which bears upon a thrust ring 105 secured within a conical member 106 the upper edge 107 of which is clamped to the lower end of the shell 34 by a multipart U-section ring 108, the parts being secured together by tangential bolts 109 (see also Figure 8). The thrust ring 105 is supported on a suitable number of angularly spaced hydraulic return rams 110.

The roll assembly diagrammatically indicated at the upper part of Figure is shown in further detail in Figures 11 to 13.

The tyre seat formation rollers 26 are mounted on shafts 122 having at their upper and lower ends square blocks 123 slidable in radial recesses 124 in the turntable 24 and the upper plate 70.

Also mounted on the shafts 122 are two pairs of toggle links 125 carrying trunnions 126 of a spreader roller 127 having a pair of flanges 128 which bear against the flanges of the formation rollers 26.

On the trunnions 126 are mounted square sliding blocks 111, 112 displaceable in radial grooves 113 in the turntable 24 and plate 70, these grooves being perpendicular to the recesses 124 in which the blocks 123 are slidable.

Also secured to the lower sliding block 112 is a rack 132, this rack being locked by part of its teeth to similar rack teeth out on one face of the block 127.

Also associated with the formation rollers 26 are a flange formation roller 131 in the form of a flanged bobbin rotatable on a shaft 134, and a well seat roller 135 freely rotatable upon a shaft 136. The flanges of the roller 131 are spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the axial length of each of the rollers 26 so that said flanges may overlap said rollers as indicated in Figure 13, to minimise the space occupied by the system. The shaft 134 of the flange roller is mounted in a pair of crank members 137 turnable about the centre line A-A which coincides with that of one of the shafts 122 of the rollers 26 in the retracted position. The crank members 137 have arcuate rack faces 138 in engagement with pinion rings 139 cut in the upper and lower ends of the well seat roller shaft 136, and this shaft also has at its lower end a gear wheel 140 which is in mesh with a pinion ring 141 cut in the upper end of the screwed member 85 (Figure 5).

Referring again to Figure 12, the rack 132 secured to the sliding block 112 at the lower end of the spreader roller shaft 126 engages a pinion 130 secured at the upper end of the central shaft 89 (this pinion not being shown in Figure 5).

In the operation of the machine as described with reference to Figures 5 to 13, a cylindrical blank 25, having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the tyre seats of the finished rim, is inserted at the upper end of the casing 34, so as to surround the roll system.

Prior to the commencement of the rim forming operation, the tyre seat rollers 26 are moved apart by displacement of the spreader roller 127 so that the axes of these three rollers are in a common diametrical plane. This displacement is effected by introducing hydraulic pressure fluid through the duct 97 to the hydraulic cylinder 129, thereby displacing the ram 94 and the nut 91 and causing the shaft 89, by reason of the screw thread 90 thereon, to rotate relative to tubular shaft 77. Thus the pinion 130 (not shown in Figure 5) at the upper end of this shaft which engages the rack 132 (Figure 12) causes the rack to move the lower block 112, and with it the shaft 126 and spreader roller 127 inwardly to the centre of the system. This operation is effected before any load is applied to the rollers 26, and may be performed whether or not the roll system including the tubular shaft 77 of the crown wheel 71 have already been set in rotation. The displacement serves merely to bring the flanges of the roller 26 into contact with the inner surface of the blank 25 so that these flanges may serve as abutments for the tyre seat portions of the rim to be formed. Thus the operation does not require intensive pressure and can be effected through the relatively light shaft 89 and screw thereon.

The roll system now being set in planetary rotation by turning of the crown wheel 71 by the pinion 50, the next operation consists in inward displacement of the laminar external die sections 20 under the guidance of fixed radial projections 121 mounted on the supporting plate 21, to their inner limit positions as shown at 120 in Figure 7, whereat they constitute a complete annular die. In the course of this displacement the well of the rim is formed and its base is brought into contact with the freely rotating reaction or well seat roller 135, which acts purely as a reaction roller and takes no part in the formation of the rim. The axis of the roller 135 is fixed in relation to the centre line of the machine, having regard to the mutual engagement of the gear wheel 140 at the lower end of its shaft and the pinion 141 at the upper end of the member 85.

The operation of contracting the external die is performed by introducing hydraulic fluid through the duct 58 into the annular recess 103 in the die member 102, which is thereby depressed within the annular rings 42 so that its depending flange 104 depresses the thrust ring and with the latter the shell 34 and the conical ring 23 bearing upon the outer inclined surfaces of the die members 20.

In the succeeding and final operation, the flange formation roller 1341 is outwardly displaced to form the rim beads or curled edge flanges 25b. This operation is performed by admitting hydraulic fluid to the duct 59 whence it passes by way of a tube 142 into the hydraulic cylinder 133, displacing the tubular ram 98 and with the latter the ring 80 and the nut 84. Axial displacement of the nut 84 causes the screw member 85 to turn relative to the rotating shaft 77 so that the pinion 141 at the upper end of this member effects an annular displacement of the gear wheel 140 at the lower end of the reaction roller shaft 136. Through the pinions 139 on this shaft and the arcuate racks 138 thereby engaged, the crank members 137 are angularly displaced so as to force the flange formation roller 131 outwards and form the rim beads 25b against the corresponding annular recesses in the die members 20.

The formation of the rim now being complete, the die members 20 may be outwardly retracted by releasing the pressure of fluid in the recess 103 of the annular member 102, whereupon the return rams are enabled to raise the thrust ring 105 and with it the shell 34 and the conical ring 23. Release of hydraulic pressure in the cylinder 133 also enables the tubular ram 98 to ascend due to force of return spring 148, bringing up with it the nut 84 which by relative rotation of the screwed member 85, through the pinion 141, gear wheel 140, pinion 139 and racks 138, displaces the cranks 137 to retract the flange formation roller 131. Similarly, release of pressure of hydraulic fluid in the cylinder 129 enables the ram 93 to descend, causing rotation of the screwed shaft 89 relative to the tubular shaft 77, and through the pinion at the upper end of this shaft and the rack 132, outward displacement of the spreader roller 127 to the position shown in Figure 13, thereby retracting their inner limit positions,

the tyre seat rollers 26 to 149, as also shown in Figdue to force of return spring ure 13. This retraction of the rollers 131 and 26 brings them all within the space defined by the inner surface of the finished rim well 25a so that the rim may now be lifted out of the top of the casing 34 constituted by the ring 23.

The invention is capable of considerable modification and such changes thereto as come within the scope of the appended claims is deemed to be a part of the invention.

9 7 What is claimed is:

1. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multi-part annular die held stationary during formation of the element, a rotatable head, of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die and moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers.

2. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multi-part annular die held stationary during formation of the element, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head, in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller moving between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, said spreader roller having a diameter such that its axis lies substantially in the plane of the axes of said pair of primary rollers when at their maximum working distance within the die, and moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers.

3. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multi-part annular die held stationary during formation of the element, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head, in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller moving between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, said spreader roller having a diameter such that its axis lies substantially in the plane of the axes of said pair of primary rollers when at their maximum working distance within the die, and a hydraulic ram located within the circumference of said die for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers.

4. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multi-part annular die held stationary during formation of the element, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contacts therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers, and a pair of secondary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said pair of secondary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die.

5. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multi-part annular die held stationary during formation of the element, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers, and a pair of secondary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said pair of secondary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, said primary rollers being operable to form the well and tyre seat portions of a wheel rim and said secondary rollers being operable to form the flanged portions thereof.

6. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external rnulti-part annular die having a plurality of segments radially displaceable inwards to present a continuous annular internal profile, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers, and means for displacing said die segments radially inwards during rotation of said head after said primary rollers have been forced apart.

7. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multi-part annular die having a plurality of segments radially displaceable inwards to present a continuous annular internal profile, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship on a diametrical plane of the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers and means for displacing said die segments radially inwards during rotation of said head after said primary rollers have been forced apart, said spreader roller being retractable to permit inward displacement of the primary rollers for withdrawal of the completed profile elements.

8. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multi-part annular die having a plurality of segments radially displaceable inwards to present a continuous annular internal profile, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship on a diametrical plane of the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers, and means for displacing said die segments radially inwards during rotation of said head after said primary rollers have been forced apart, said spreader roller being retractable to permit inward displacement of the primary rollers for withdrawal of the completed profile element and having a diameter such that its axis lies substantially in the plane of the axes of said pair of primary rollers when at their maximum working distance within the die.

9. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multipart annular die having a plurality of segments radially displaceable inwards to present a continuous annular internal profile, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship on a diametrical plane of the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers, means for displacing said die segments radially inwards during rotation of said head after said primary rollers have been forced apart, said spreader roller being retractable to permit inward displacement of the primary rollers for withdrawal of the completed profile element, and a pair of secondary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship with the die, at least one of said pair of secondary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, said primary rollers being operable to form the well and tyre seat portions of a wheel rim and said secondary rollers being operable to form the flanged portions thereof.

10. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multipart annular die having a plurality of segments radially displaced inwards to present a continuous annular internal profile, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship on a diametrical plane of the die, at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers, means for displacing said die segments radially inwards during rotation of said head after said primary rollers have been forced apart, said spreader roller being retractable to permit inward displacement of the primary rollers for withdrawal of the completed profile element, and a pair of secondary rollers mounted eccentrically upon the axes of the primary rollers so as to be displaceable radially relatively thereto, at least one of said pair of secondary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, said primary rollers being operable to form the well and tyre seat portions of a wheel rim and said secondary rollers being operable to form the flanged portions thereof.

ll. A machine for the formation of wheel rims and like heavy-duty profiled elements from sleeve blanks, said machine comprising an external multipart annular die having a plurality of segments radially displaceable inwards to present a continuous annular internal profile, a rotatable head, a pair of primary rollers carried within the die by the head in radially displaceable relationship on a diametrical plane of the die at least one of said primary rollers being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, a spreader roller movable between the primary rollers in contact therewith to force said primary rollers progressively apart and maintain them in working engagement with a blank when positioned in said die, moving means on said head for moving said spreader roller between the primary rollers, means for displacing said die segments radially inwards during rotation of said head after said primary rollers have been forced apart, said spreader roller being retractable to permit inward displacement of the primary rollers for withdrawal of the completed profile element, and a secondary roller mounted on a lever means angularly displaceable by hydraulic means about at least one axis of the head, said secondary roller being carried within the die by the head and being formed with a profile which is complementary to said die, said primary rollers being operable to form the well and tyre seat portions of a wheel rim and said secondary roller being operable to form the flanged portions thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 800,764 Rigby Oct. 3, 1905 1,387,934 Monteith Aug. 16, 1921 1,413,527 Drummond Apr. 18, 1922 1,524,946 Nystrom Feb. 3, 1923 2,206,296 Clark July 2, 1940 2,227,746 Clark Jan. 7, 1941 

